(Phoenix, Ariz. – Feb. 7, 2006) The Arizona Attorney General’s Office today announced the filing of a fair housing lawsuit against the owner of a mobile home park in Flagstaff who allegedly refused to lease space to a couple because of their national origin.

In 2005, a Latino couple received a donated mobile home located in the Greenlaw Mobile Home Park. The Attorney General’s lawsuit alleges that Greenlaw’s employees made the couple submit four applications to lease space within the park, and all four were rejected because Greenlaw claimed the applications were incomplete. The couple submitted a fifth application, which was accepted and then denied.

According to the lawsuit, Greenlaw refused the application because one of its managing agents believed one applicant provided a Social Security number that did not belong to him. After denying the application, Greenlaw’s managing agent threatened to call “immigration” if the applicants did not stop complaining about Greenlaw’s decision. Refusing to rent to an individual or requiring different terms and conditions of rental because of national origin is prohibited under the Arizona Fair Housing Act. Greenlaw denies that it violated the Act.

The lawsuit alleges that the company and its employees violated the Act by discouraging the couple from submitting a lease application in the first instance and then subjecting the couple to differential treatment during and after the application process. The lawsuit contends that Greenlaw’s conduct was motivated by the couple’s national origin.

The Arizona Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on a person’s disability, race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin. Any person who believes that his or her civil rights have been violated should call the Arizona Attorney General's Office Division of Civil Rights tollfree statewide at 1-877-491-5742.